Tape reel



.f Dec. 30, 1,941. wwmsfuRE 2,268,178,

TAPE REEL Fiied April 8,1941

f l u f l Il wiwhhmn 44 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 30, 1941 TAPE REEL WorthW. Boisture, Berwind',` W. Va.

ApplcationApi-il 8, 1941, Serial No. 387,523.

3 Claims.

This inventionv relates, to tape reels. andhas for an object to providea. tape reel for an engineers steel tape having roller bearings properlyplaced to eliminate drag due tcr friction between the tape carrying reeland the spindle.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which can beeasily dismantled for inspection and repairs.

A further object is to provide a multiple gear` winding mechanism foraccelerating Winding and unwinding of the tape.

A further object is to provide a device of this character suitable forlong ribbon tapes from two hundred to five hundred feet long whilemaintaining lightness and compactness of the device consistent withstrength and ruggedness. 1

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will beformed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be ineX-'pensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood thatvarious modifications may be resorted to within the scope f the appendedclaims without departing from the spirit or sacricing any of theadvantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specication:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal rsectional view of an engineers steel tapereel constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the tape reel with a portion broken awayto expose the hold down spring pressed roller.

Figure 3 is a detail front elevation of the hold down spring pressedroller removed from the device.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of referencedesignate .similar parts in the various views, I Il designates aU-shaped frame preferably formed of strap metal. A spacer II is weldedat one end to the end of the right side of the frame and is secured by ascrew I2 to the other side of the frame.

A hub I3 is provided with circular end anges I4 to form a reel for along ribbon `steel tape I5, which is wound upon an annular series ofpins I6 concentric with the hub and secured at the ends, by riveting orotherwise, to the end ilanges I4 of the reel.

The hub is provided with recesses I 1 at the ends for receiving taperedroller bearings I8 which engage a spindle I9 formed with a fiat head 2D,which is welded to theright` side of thev reel frame I0. A knob 2| isengaged on to the opposite end of the spindle and engages the other sideof the frame, the knob being locked in place by a pin 22, as shown inFigure 1.

A pair of dust collars 23 and 24 are mounted on the spindle outside ofthe roller bearings I8 and seal the bearings dust-and weather tight sothat the long life of the bearings will be pro` moted.

The hub I3 is provided with an extension 25, which extends beyond theright rear ilange and is provided with a gear ring 26.

A relatively large gear 21 is provided with an integral shaft 28 whichis journalled in the bore of a nipple nut 29, which is engaged in athreaded opening in the right side of the frame I0. The gear meshes withthe gear ring 26. A lock washer 30 is threaded on to the nipple nut andengages the right side of the frame to hold the nipple nut againstaccidental turning.

A handle 3l is hinged, as shown at 32, to a leaf 33 which is secured tothe gear shaft 28 by a screw 34. The handle is provided with a woodcylindrical grip 35 which projects through an opening 36 in the rightside of the frame I Il when the handle is not in use.

A handle yoke 31 is secured between iianges 38 which project from thecross member of the frame, by bolts 39. A wood handle 40 is connected tothe yoke by a bolt 4I, as is conventional.

A hold down roller 42 is mounted on an axle 43 carried by an invertedU-shaped yoke 44. One end of a leaf spring 45 is secured to the yoke andthe other end of the leaf spring is widened at the extreme end and issecured to the transverse member of the frame IIJ by bolts 46. The leafspring extends downwardly between the flanges I4 of the reel, as bestshown in Figure l, and holds the roller 42 yieldably against theoutermost convolution of the steel tape I5, to hold the tape compactlyin place and prevent too free To additionally reinforce the sides of theframe I0 near the bottom thereof, a stiifener bar 4l9 is fixed at oneend by welding, or otherwise, to the right side of the frame near thespacer l I. The end of the stiffener bar 49 is turned upwardly to liealong the left side of the frame and is secured thereto by bolts 50.

From the above description it is thought that the construction andoperation of the invention will be fully understood without furtherexplanation.

What is claimed is:

1. In an engineers steel tape, a hub having side flanges forming a tapecontaining reel, a concentric series of transversely disposed pinssecured to the flanges and spaced from the hub, a steel measuring tapewound on the pins, said hub having recesses at both ends, tapered rollerbearings in said recesses, a U-shaped frame having sides disposedoutside of the flanges, a spindle engaged by the roller bearings andsecured to the sides of the frame, dust collars closing the ends of thehub outside of the bearings to protect the bearings, said hub beingextended beyond one of the reel flanges, a ring gear on the extendedportion of the hub, a relatively large gear mounted for rotation on oneof the sides of the frame and meshing with the ring gear, a shaft forthe large gear projecting through one of the sides of the frame', afolding handle secured to the shaft, and means secured to the frameengaging the tape and holding the tape in compact form against too freeunreeling.

2. The structure as of claim l1 and in which said means comprises a leafspring secured at one end to the transverse portion of the U-shapedframe and extending at the free end between the anges of the hub, and aroller on the free end of the spring engaging the outermost convolutionof the tape.

3. The structure as of claim 1 and in which said handle comprises a leafsecured to the shaft of the large gear, a handle hinged to the leaf, anda cylinder grip extending at a right angle to the handle and adapted tobe received in an opening in one of the sides of the frame in foldedposition.

' WORTH W. BOISTURE.

